Leadership programme for education officials

Bhisho is hoping a new leadership programme will bring discipline to its education officials.

The plan, expected to be phased in during May, was revealed by acting provincial education superintendent-general Siza Netshilaphala while addressing reporters at a media briefing yesterday.

This after the province performed dismally in matric results last year.

Netshilaphala was talking tough, including saying that some officials were too lazy to do even minor duties.

“The biggest thing about public servants is that they cannot deal with the basics of work ethics – time to be at work, leave work, clean the spaces they work in.

“They need to master the basics.

“There are levels of laxity among public servants.”

Netshilaphala said her department was on a journey to turn things around.

The department has started by visiting education districts to find out what was bothering district managers and principals.

Part of their visit also deal with the process of filling 1665 vacant posts in the province.

This was being done by moving excess teachers to where they were needed and appointing qualified teachers, including graduates, who were sponsored through the Funza Lushaka bursary to study maths and physical science, among other critical subjects.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 The chief director in Netshilaphala’s office, Dr Soyisile Nuku, said leadership challenges in the department would be resolved when the programme kicked in.

“We will deal with consequence management issues. We will meet with unions as part of the consultation process but the department is the custodian of policies of government.

We will clarify roles and responsibilities with the unions,” he said.